Penn State IFC Bans Fraternity Daylongs For Rest Of The Year

Ahhhhh, the “daylong.” The epitome of a perfect college party. Sunshine, good music, some fine adult beverages, some finer women dressed in finely revealing fashion, and all your friends surrounding you every which way with pinnies and throwback jerseys abound. Pure glory.

At Penn State, the daylong has evolved to more than just a themed, daytime party for the institution’s Greek system to cut loose on a Friday afternoon after acing mid-term exams. Rather, it has become a way of life that fills the Spring social calendar with annual events that members of the Greek community to look forward to year after year. A cornerstone if you will, much like philanthropy, of any fraternity or sorority experience.

However, unfortunately, it seems that tradition is set to come to an abrupt end, at least as far as the rest of this semester is concerned. Worse yet, it was announced just ahead of Blue-White weekend, which plays host to Penn State football’s annual Spring game.

The Interfraternity Council announced today it is suspending all chapters from hosting daylongs for the rest of the semester. The decision comes after a meeting between members from the IFC, the Highlands Civic Association, and State College Police to discuss the daylong events that have become a subject of concern within the local community.

Totally harsh. Onward State’s article goes on to cite me, actually, with regards to previous, on-record remarks I made about the importance of daylongs to the culture of Greek life everywhere. I once penned that daylongs are, “one of the holiest and fundamental pillars of fraternity life,” and I still stand by that, having experienced and orchestrated quite a few of them first-hand.

“Given the high number of complaints surrounding daylong events, the Interfraternity Council has decided to suspend them in their current form through the end of the semester,” IFC President Rick Groves said.

Groves said if daylongs are to continue, it is evident that changes need to be made to make sure they do not affect the local community.

“This suspension has provided us the opportunity to work alongside residents and police to find an amicable solution that satisfies all parties,” Groves said.

Now, I’m not certain what exact events prompted the IFC’s actions or warranted these kids to be stripped of a right that seemingly should be innate with the territory, and I won’t begin to speculate about it. But, I will acknowledge that it’s a sad day at Penn State if the innumerable number of seniors involved in Greek life (and their friends, Greek or not) have to miss out on what should rightfully be, and historically has been, an enormous part of senior year.

PSU’s IFC has done similar things in the past with respect to cancelling daylongs, but I can’t remember a time where it has happened this early on in the Spring with so many events yet to take place. It just seems unfair, from the outside looking in. These are the parties you start planning the very day you get initiated to your organization, with the hopes of them coming together perfectly for one last senior year hurrah. And now these kids are suddenly being told, “Nope, not this year.” because some neighbors probably complained about the noise or the ruckus. It’s like, “What did you expect when you bought a house 100 feet from fraternity row?”

Unfortunately, it’s even more tragic that it seems the IFC’s power to revoke daylong permits was actually one which was granted by election several years ago, as a former IFC member who wishes to remain anonymous informed me.

It would be nice to see some member of administration take a stand against this hearty tradition being dismantled and torn down, but as to who that may be, well, your guess is as good as mine.